Report: Pakistan women’s team snub World Cup opening ceremony – Here’s why all their matches are in Sri Lanka

Pakistan women’s cricket team, led by Fatima Sana, will skip the ODI World Cup 2025 opening ceremony in Guwahati due to political tensions. All of their matches will be played in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

In a significant development ahead of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the Pakistan women’s cricket team has decided not to attend the tournament’s opening ceremony in India. According to ANI, citing Geo Super, skipper Fatima Sana and her teammates will not travel to Guwahati, where the event will take place on September 30.

The grand ceremony will be hosted at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, just before the first match of the tournament between India and Sri Lanka. With Pakistan absent, their decision is being linked to ongoing political tensions between the two neighboring nations.

Earlier this year, Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but India opted to play its matches at neutral venues instead of travelling across the border. All of Pakistan’s fixtures for the Women’s ODI World Cup will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, following a similar arrangement.

On October 2, Pakistan will kick off their World Cup campaign against Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The clash will mark their third meeting in the history of the tournament, and Pakistan will be eager to start with a strong performance.

The highlight of their group-stage fixtures will be the highly anticipated encounter against India, scheduled for October 5 in Colombo. Given that neither nation has bilateral cricket ties, we expect the World Cup fixture to garner significant global attention.

For Pakistan, the tournament presents an opportunity to make their mark on the world stage and showcase their growth in women’s cricket. While skipping the opening ceremony may garner attention, the players will eagerly focus on their on-field performances once the competition commences.

Fatima Sana will lead Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, which is set to be played in India and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan World Cup Squad: Fatima Sana (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vc), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah. Reserves: Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar

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